From Lifeline to Liability: A Reservoir in Peril

Written by Jawad Hassan

Rawal dam, a water reservoir built on Korang river, meet the drinking water needs of 60% masses residing in Rawalpindi. It was constructed in 1962, during Ayub Khan’s regime. The need of creation arose amid to water scarcity in the region. Lack of water for irrigation added to the purposiveness and need for the dam. It was constructed by Punjab government, and later handed over to Small Dam Organization (SDO), Irrigation Department which is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Rawal dam. It falls under non-natural, mason made and Gravity dam category. Several streams from Margalla hills, Chattar park and Ghora Gali, along with rain water, conjoins to add in Rawal dam.

During the last 20 years, water quality of Rawal dam has highly been compromised. The main reason being excessive pollution, construction and disposal of sewerage waste in Rawal dam, stressing again that it is used for drinking purposes after processing. The Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2012, reprimanded Punjab government upon insufficient measure to clean Rawal dam. Immediate actions were taken but they were short-lived and lost its pace with time. In the near past, the vicinities of Rawal dam were under clouds of unbearable noisome. The stinking water could be sensed from miles, causing inconvenience for by-passers.

Upon inquiry, the reason for compromised atmosphere came out to be shoal of dead fish, floating lifelessly on the outskirts of water reservoir. The rotting corpses were infested with maggots and a murder of crows were flying above the area. The condition of dam painted a disturbing picture. Plastic waste could be distinguished easily from the brownish water of the reservoir. Water was dried to the extent, revealing the areas that were once under water, pointing towards intense water scarcity in future. This worrisome situation and deteriorating life of the water body demands serious attention.

The catastrophic loss of marine life was due to immense pollution of dam’s water. The sewerage of Barakau, Malpur, Lakhwal, Bari Imam nullah is discarded in Rawal dam. The pollution, with plastic waste and toxins, resulted in excess growth of algae. The thick layer in return, created “Dead zones” for marine life, as oxygen do not get dissolved easily in water for continued life. The Supreme Court of Pakistan had shown aggression in this regard and passed a verdict in 2018 to refrain from disposing sewerage waste in water body, but serious implementation is lagging behind.The overall natural habitat was compromised due to human actions.

The current timeline falls in breeding season of the fish, and loss of life during this critical time has affected the population of marine life. Even in the ongoing crises, fishermen were busy hooking fishes, ignorant of the breeding season. On the other end of spectrum, people residing near the lake are agonized as they have to encounter the foul smell all day, and excessive exposure could have serious implications on Human health. There is no action taken by the managing authority to remove dead fishes and plastic, to prevent further contamination.

This dam is treated more like a fish hatchery than a dam. The fisheries department lease the dam for fish farming, but there is no proper check and balance from their end. The contract holder, seeking profit maximization, release excessive fish in the water without prioritizing water capacity and course of natural habitat. In these scenarios, worsening of dam’s environment is eminent.

Construction near the spill ways of dam is questionable, as that area is not under safe zone. Unpredictable weather pattern and vulnerability to climate disasters can result in buildings being swept away. During the monsoon rains in 2001, this area was under water. In case, again high level of rain is recorded, which is expected, can cause damage to life and property.

There is a noticeable decline is water storage capacity of Rawal dam due to sedimentation. The water capacity has decreased by 35%, from 42,000 acre-feet to around 27,000 acre-feet. This implies that excessive rainfall can cause early opening of spill ways and can result in small scale urban flooding. The ecosystem for marine life is shrinking too. With time if the water capacity keeps on decreasing, there would be water scarcity and even agricultural run-off, affecting the people in twin cities.

A water treatment plant is installed close to Rawal dam. Managed by Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), under Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), this plant ensures the water reaching Rawalpindi is potable and safe for consumption. This plant follows a four-step process to reach optimum level for consumption, but still loop holes and chances of contamination are present. Loss of valuable water in this process is problem needing fix. This process makes the water safe enough for drinking. This is a must step as it can prevent an epidemic of water borne diseases.

There is a dire need to rethink on the significance of this water reservoir for a sustainable future. Without the availability of water, the survival seems impossible. There is an immense strain on water bodies due to over population, and in this condition if the already-present water bodies are mistreated, it is likely to induce severe water scarcity and lead to migration and forced displacement. Banning the tourist entry upon Pakistan Environmental Protection Authority is a commendable step to halt pollution, but this is not the solution. Much is needed to be done to save future generations.